hello and happy sunday. i have 2 questions, and am at my wits' end in finding answers. 1: I recently discovered a somewhat obscure weapon from Nepal called a kora, a short sword with a forward curved blade. I've heard it referred to as a predecessor to the kukhri,but that isn't pertinent to my question. My question is this: how would such a weapon have been used? Not all of the ones I've seen and researched were used for ceremonial purposes;some were very real fighting weapons and look positively nasty for close-in combat.

2: This next question references a movie weapon, the High Elven sword from the Lord of the Rings moviess. Before you all start rolling your eyes, I have a simple question about possible origins/ references in the real world. The closest I can see is the chinese war sword, also called the dadao, but that isn't quite right. Some friends have said that it resembles a modified naginata, but that ain't necessarily right either. Just out of curiosity, would a sword with equal lengths of blade and handle be effective in any real battle situation? I don't see how, but that doesn't mean anything since i haven't had very much practical training. thanks for your time and patience with a newbie . . .

Quote:... it resembles a modified naginata ... with equal lengths of blade and handle ...

Actually, from your description and a photo or two from the web, I'd say it is very much like a (scaled down to sword-sized) nagamaki, a version of a polearm related to naginata. The historical version is longer and deployed against riders' mounts by infantry.RN

1.) by 'inward curving blade', and predecessor of the kukris I assume (and will use knife not sword terminology) the spine of the weapon is the outer part of the crescent'ish' and the blade is the inner curvature. Like an enlarged (non folding) hawksbeak. How long is spine and are you considering this as an acquisition?(just curious)1.a.) I own (and am probably going to sell) a functional historical blade and in researching this ODDBALL large knife (Imagine a 7.5' spine abrubtly terminating to a point with a blade of 8.5' to form a "reverse Tanto" shape) a twist carbon steel "Saex", it is a functional replica of what to some was forged knife length or short sword length and was popular in 8th cent. B.C. Anglo-Saxon culture (as the design was prob stolen from my kickass Viking ancestors of Sweden and Finland {where the origin of 'Surgical Steel' owes some of us debt})....back to point (no pun intended)(really)

*****my former carry knife was a folder w/ the "Talon" or "hawksbeak" shape and it did everything, thus the digression to the Saex which translated (I believe) meant "for every use". A short sword as you describe can jab, hack, cut, fillet, gut a critter, "portion" said critter and even be used as a carving knife and sign of prestige (note-all of the above apply to use for Combat/Survival). All humanoid ancestors of you earth folk had to make something to "Last and Multitask" (old manager in me, sorry) and the older it is the more status to owner as metallurgy still barely is known at present homosapiens level.

2.) Seems answered above. as a former but constantly practicing student of Toyama Ryu Batto-Jitsu I will say That DARN LONG handle will get caught in an obi sleeve if used as a sword....BUT if I were of the mind to carry (and be Conan or King Kull enough to wield) 2 great swords, the extra weight might help balance and so increase speed.

3.) As you seem a more advanced hominid...try this one. Learn metallurgy (which by nature much of which is radioactive {anyone naysay me on this, do not forget I used to inject ANTIMatter into y'all, I knows mama saz radiation can be limited in range....)...Craft a forge folded radioactive (type not mentioned here) blade with a core of not just harder steel but mercury...liquid at room temp soooo...held at Jodan or Chudan mercury by Tsuba, strike and centripetal force magnifies overall cuting speed and strength....aw hell, no one gonna read this anyway. Humans!!!

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A predecessor to the kuhkri? That would be more of a hooking slashing weapon. As for the elven blade that may be used for thrusting or long slashes,you would have to have a hell of a long reach to keep it from catching in your sleeves though.

Quote:hello and happy sunday. i have 2 questions, and am at my wits' end in finding answers. 1: I recently discovered a somewhat obscure weapon from Nepal called a kora, a short sword with a forward curved blade. I've heard it referred to as a predecessor to the kukhri,but that isn't pertinent to my question. My question is this: how would such a weapon have been used? Not all of the ones I've seen and researched were used for ceremonial purposes;some were very real fighting weapons and look positively nasty for close-in combat.

2: This next question references a movie weapon, the High Elven sword from the Lord of the Rings moviess. Before you all start rolling your eyes, I have a simple question about possible origins/ references in the real world. The closest I can see is the chinese war sword, also called the dadao, but that isn't quite right. Some friends have said that it resembles a modified naginata, but that ain't necessarily right either. Just out of curiosity, would a sword with equal lengths of blade and handle be effective in any real battle situation? I don't see how, but that doesn't mean anything since i haven't had very much practical training. thanks for your time and patience with a newbie . . .

1> no idea, google it some more you may get an answer somewhere. Blade on the inside - maybe as some sort of beheading or hand removal device? web page with Kora on it

2> As I know the armourer who made the original swords for the LOTR would you like me to ask him?

I would think that equal blade and handle would be a strange combination to work with. Our broadswords have hand and half or 2 handed grip, however a long handle might be difficult to control...web page with High Elven sword pic

Yes please, I would very much like for you to ask him....and thank you so much. I know that this isnt anything like sword fighting for real, but i am part of a boffing group and i created a boffing weapon based on the high elven sword, and it works VERY well. My reasons for asking about real world comparisons and effectiveness stem from this rather than any delusions about carrying one slung nover myt shoulder or anything like that . . . thanks for your time, eh?peace, jbski

I just bought a pair of nunchuks yesterday, that are four section. Can't even find a photo of them on google images, so I'll describe it this way.

If you took an ordinary pair of nunchuks, and cut them about 2-thirds of the way up the shaft and added another section of rope, that's what my chuks look like.

Now i'm at an absolute loss as to where to find details on maneuvers. You can't use them like ordinary chuks, and all searches for 4 section nunchuk, four piece nunchuk, weird nunchuk etc. has been swamped with bloody wii website pages. :P

So I'm curious guys, does anybody know the proper name of these, or the name of an art that teaches them? Or if you've seen any movies or instructional vids, that would be an added bonus. Cheers.